The ocean covers over 70% of Earth and powers life as we know it

This Earth Day, discover 10 surprising facts about what is happening beneath the surface.
oceana.ca/en/2026/04/17/10-surpris...

When people think of corals and anemones, they picture tropical reefs. But Canada has them too. The northern red anemone lives in cold waters, catching small prey such as fish and crabs with its tentacles, and can even reproduce by splitting in two.

The Arctic tern holds the record for the longest migration of any animal. These birds travel from Arctic breeding grounds to the Antarctic each year, experiencing two summers and more daylight than any other animal.

Blob sculpins, closely related to blobfish, are deep-sea fish found at depths of 500 to 2,800 metres in the North Pacific Ocean. They feed on sea pens, crabs, and mollusks, and can grow to more than 60 centimetres long and nearly as wide.

Most endangered marine mammals face highest plastic risk Three quarters of marine mammals in the highest-risk category for plastic ingestion and entanglement are already classified as threatened

A study co-authored by scientists at @oceanconservancy.org reveals that three quarters of marine mammal species at highest risk of plastic ingestion and entanglement are already classified as threatened.
oceanographicmagazine.com/news/most-endangered-mar...

The brown catshark is the smallest shark found in Canadian Pacific waters. This deep-sea animal usually lives on muddy or sandy bottoms at depths from 33 to 950 m and feeds on small true shrimps, euphausiid shrimps, squid, and small fish.

Tufted puffins are seabirds of the open waters, islands, and coastal cliffs of the North Pacific, known for their golden head plumes. Though they may look like hair, these striking tufts are actually specialized feathers. During breeding season, these features help attract mates.

Meet the tiger rockfish 🐟

Living off the coast of British Columbia, this solitary and territorial species guards its rocky crevice home. It can quickly change colour when startled and can live up to 116 years.

Since 2016, the number of Southern Resident killer whales lost to death or disappearance has exceeded the number of calves added to the population. Their biggest threat is a lack of food, especially Chinook salmon. Disturbance from vessels also makes it harder for them to hunt.

Ever wondered what happens after a whale dies?
It sinks to the ocean floor and becomes a “whale fall,” creating an entirely new ecosystem that can support marine life for years. Watch to learn why this matters.

The king eider is a striking sea duck found in the Arctic. Adult males and older immature males are especially distinctive, with colorful heads and bold black-and-white plumage. This diving duck feeds on crabs, sea stars, and sea urchins.

WATCH: A Greenland shark, the world’s longest-lived vertebrate, caught on camera.
Despite their large size and long lifespan, Greenland sharks are still poorly understood. There is a lot for us to learn about this species and how they’re impacted by threats like climate change.

In 2025, Oceana Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada led a 21-day expedition to the Southern Newfoundland Slope.

Home to dense cold-water corals, sea pens, and critical fish habitat.

Learn more: https://oceana.ca/en/southern-newfoundland-slope/

🎥 © Oceana Canada/Evermaven

In January, the Federal Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Canadian government’s authority to regulate plastic.
A win for evidence-based policy and Canadians calling for solutions.
Learn more: oceana.ca/en/2026/03/26/court-ruli...

Closing out Dolphin Awareness Month with a moment from our last scientific expedition. While surveying the Southern Newfoundland Slope, dolphins travelled alongside the team, surfing the ship’s bow. This is a reminder of the life Canada’s oceans support.

This is a reminder that most plastic doesn’t disappear — it just breaks into smaller pieces called microplastics, which are now found in ocean animals, drinking water, and even the air we breathe, where they can cause harm for centuries.

Scientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calf Rare footage of a sperm whale giving birth has offered scientists a window into the behaviour of these large, elusive mammals.

Rare footage of a sperm whale giving birth gives scientists new insight into the behaviour of these elusive giants.
Watch here: www.cp24.com/news/world/2026/03/27/sc...

Every spring, Atlantic puffins return to the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador. These seabirds spend most of their lives at sea, coming ashore only to nest and raise their young. During the breeding season, they forage for small fish like capelin, their primary source of food.

Behind every science expedition is a mission to better understand and protect our oceans.
The Southern Newfoundland Slope expedition brought together scientists, crew and partners to document this rich but little-explore ecosystem We’re grateful for everyone involved.

#DIDYOUKNOW: Commercial whaling decimated bowhead whale populations until the early 1900s, when it was prohibited. The species has slowly recovered and is no longer endangered. However, it still faces ongoing threats from entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes.

Meet the Sei whale, the third-largest whale in the Balaenopteridae family after blue and fin whales. Their slender, hooked dorsal fin makes them easy to spot in the wild. Usually seen alone or in small groups of 2–5, sei whales are fast swimmers, reaching speeds of over 55 km/h.

Did you know some sharks have belly buttons?

Some sharks are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young and form a placental connection. After birth, pups have a small scar between their pectoral fins that fades over time.

Every drop of water connects to the health of our oceans and all life within them. Protecting our waters means protecting life itself.

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Meet the flying fish. They do not actually fly but propel themselves out of the water and glide using specialized, wing-like fins to escape predators. There are at least 40 known species of flying fish.

All dolphins have teeth, but the number varies widely by species. For example, Risso’s dolphins have a unique dental adaptation: they lack upper teeth and have several pairs of conical teeth in their lower jaw, which helps them feed primarily on squid.

Meet “Mirror” (Catalog #4617) and her calf, the 23rd North Atlantic Right Whale mother and calf pair of the season.
Mirror is just 10 years old and a first-time mum. She was recently named for the symmetry of the callosity patterns on her head.

Did you know sea otters were hunted for their fur to the brink of extinction during the maritime fur trade in the 1700s and 1800s? In Canada, their population has since recovered enough to move from “Threatened” to “Special Concern” under the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Pacific herring form massive schools from the surface down to 1,300 feet. Their dark backs and silver bellies create countershading, helping hide them from predators above and below.

New assessment for capelin in Newfoundland and Labrador shows some signs of improvement, but the stock remains a fraction of its pre-collapse abundance. Oceana Canada is calling for reduced commercial fishing and for the stock to be listed under Canada’s amended Fisheries Act.

Did you know the “mist” you see when whales surface is not just water? It is actually a plume of warm air and water vapour released when a whale exhales, and scientists can study it to learn about the whale’s health, stress levels, and the ocean it lives in.